The Himura Family
by Lady Kon Kaidou
Summary: Tomo and Kenshin had been wanderers for as long as she could rememeber. But when they wander into the wrong place at the wrong time, their lives change forever by a woman named Karou. Better than it sounds I swear! R&R please and no flames!
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin. (Whish I did though)

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Chapter 1:

The odd pair

Two figures step quietly and unnoticed into the dark streets of an unknown city. A young man in his twenties and a young girl no older than ten stepped over a bridge and into the small quite city. The young man kept a sharp eye out as the young girl walked calmly by his side. Both of them had swords at their side, though they had no intention on using them _this_ night. The young man looked around taking in his surrounding should anything or anyone attack him and his young female companion, suddenly a female voice yelled out in anger,

"Hitokiri Battosai!" The young man turned around and noticed a young woman with long black hair holding a sword made of solid and sturdy wood glaring at him. The young girl that had been so calm hid behind the young man, clinging to his shirt sleeve. The young man and girl were in the shadow of a tree, hiding their faces. The woman stepped foreword, yelling out in terrible anger that made the young girl jump in fear. "I have found you! For too long you have murdered at will! Now! It Ends!" The young man cocked his head to the side, he asked confused,

"Oro?" The young woman with the sword ran foreword her eyes filled with anger and hatred,

"Do not play the fool! You are the only one who would dare carry a sword in this night!" She swung her sword at him but the young grabbed his companion and dodged with a jump backwards. The woman caught herself and readied herself for another attack, but instead watched as the young man and girl fell into a wooden fence, busting two boards in half. The woman who attacked him blinked, as he raised himself up and looked down at the little girl,

"Are you alright?" The little girl looked up and nodded, still clinging to his shirt. The woman shook her head,

'This is _the Hitokiri Battosai_?" The young man shook his head as he stood the young girl up,

"No. This one is but a Rurouni. And this one's traveling companion is but this one's niece. Right Tomo?" Tomo nodded as she reached down for her sword, she shot the woman a deathly glare as she started to unsheathe her sword but the young man shot a look down at her and shook his head sternly, "No." The little girl snapped with an astonished look on her face, her hand still on the handle of her sword ready for the draw.

"But Uncle!" The young man held up a finger to his lips and said,

"Hush."

"But!" She started; the young man grabbed her wrist and gave her a stern and merciless look,

"Didn't this one tell you to hush…?" The little girl nodded and opened her mouth to arguer but the man put his finger to her lips, "Now hush." The young girl released her grip on her swords handle and replied with a soft whisper,

"Yes Uncle." While the two were arguing the woman looked at the young man, he was unusual. His hair was the color of that of a fierce flame but his eyes were the color of the sky and were soft and naïve. He wore long white Hakanna pants and a baggy red shirt with a white shirt underneath, he also had a strange 'x' shaped scar on his left cheek. The young girl was a little more discreet but not by much. She had long silky like black hair and blue eyes. But she was wearing a small purple kimono with a floral okobi, her hair was done up nicely in a big blue ribbon. The young man looked up with innocent look and smiled, the little girl turned around and looked up at the woman with innocent, pleading eyes.

"We are travelers. Swordsman and child in training with no destination…we just crossed the bridge when you stopped and attacked us. How could a murder be my fault?" The woman looked too embarrassed to speak. But then she noticed that both the young man and girl had swords,

"How do you explain those? No one is allowed to carry blades! Especially children!" The woman grabbed at the young man's sword and unsheathed it, but she was suspired to see it was just a saka-bato. A reverse blade sword, the young girl drew her sword and held it out for the woman to inspect, she gigged in a childish tone,

"How many could me and my Uncle kill with Saka-Bato's? Look." She pointed to the blades, "They have no wear. No stains…we have never used these blades before. We merely carry them for protection against bandits." The woman looked at the blades and sighed,

"So you two are really just…" The young man nodded as the young girl put away her sword,

"Rurouni's…Hai." The woman opened her mouth to say something but a strange sound rang through the silent summer air,

PWIIIIIII! PWIIIIIII! PWIIIIIII! PWIIIIIII!

The sound of a whistle. The young girl looked around, alarmed at the sound. The young man shot a look at her and shook his head. The woman, still holding the man's sword gasped and turned to run. Throwing his sword in the air,

"The Police Whistle! I have to go!" The young man grabbed for his sword as it spun in the air,

"ORO!" As he caught his sword the young girl bent down to the ground,

"What do you think Uncle? Should we check it out and give her a hand?" The young man nodded, his face not looking so innocent and naïve anymore,

"Hai…she may need help." The pair stood up and sprinted after the woman in silence. Not letting her know she was being followed. Little did the three know they were going to become apart of each others lives for years to come.

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Okay, yea first Kenshin story. You can kind of tell right? Anyway tell me what you think okay? Tell me what you think of Tomo (the little girl) and my story line. The name of the story will fit soon enough I swear, you'll see, Oh this is AU though it may not seem like it. R&R kay?


	2. Dreams

Chapter 2

The strange wanderers

Okay this is my second chapter. Sorry it's been a while. Anyway let's see what happens next, shall we?

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The young man and girl followed the running woman silently on the balls of their feet, their straw sandals making no sound on the dirt road. She had no clue that she was being followed, when she rounded a corner a gigantic man yelled in a booming voice,

"WEAK! WEAK! YOU ARE ALL TOO WEAK!" He slashed his sword at several police man that stood gawking. The man was dressed head to toe in black with a cloth hanging over the bottom part of his face so that no one could see his face other than his eyes which were flaring with anger and a thirst for blood. One police man stood there, shocked at the size of the man, now realizing they were out matched in size and strength. The woman from before rushed past the police men and attacked the man as he slashed his sword at a man in front of him, cutting off his ear and his finger. The woman smacked the man in the back with her wooden sword; the man turned around and boomed as he raised his sword,

"Wrench! You will pay for striking me!" He swung his sword at her but missed as she dodged with a jump to her left. The police man called out,

"Karou-Sama!" The woman known as Karou looked over her shoulder, and commanded with a loud yell.

"I can handle him! Step back!" Her opponent saw this as the perfect time to attack her. He swung his sword with one hand and cut her on her left shoulder blade. She grabbed her shoulder and winced as it stung. Tomo watched in the shadows, she and her Uncle had scaled to the roof of a near by house, Tomo was worried. This man that the woman was fighting was much bigger and, though she hated to admit it, stronger than her. Her uncle was sitting beside her, his eyes locked on the woman. He became alarmed when she became injured, Tomo reached for her sword and started to stand when the man grabbed her wrist pulling her back down; she released her sword once more and squatted beside him. She asked in a hushed whisper, so not to give away their position,

"What shall we do Uncle? That woman needs help she is weaker…much weaker I'm afraid." The man blinked slowly, as if thinking it over though he already knew the answer, as did Tomo. The man looked to Tomo and half whispered half snapped,

"Stay here. In the shadows, this one does not want you hurt." Tomo seemed more at ease; he was in 'cool mode' as she liked to call it. 'Cool mode' was when her Uncle would draw his sword and fight like the man from his past, the Battosai was reviling himself for the first time in a long time. She nodded as he jumped down from the roof and sprinted toward the woman with incredible speed and stealth; this was what made him the most feared assassin in the Meji era. Tomo had heard her Uncle be called many names while she had been wandering with him: fire demon, the hidden assassin, and the blood stained wanderer. And many others, but none of them were even close to what his true name was. She watched as he rushed up and picked the woman up as the imposter Battosai swung his sword once again at her.

Tomo watched with anticipation and excitement as he dodged the man's sword with ease. She clenched the side of the roof, she watched as her uncle started to move the woman away from the battle Tomo listened carefully,

"You are quite the risk taker Ruro--!" But then something happened. Her Uncle hit the ground face first; she could see he was doubled over. She slapped her face, not again! Then the woman yelled out confirming her suspicions,

"Dislocated Brain!"

The man looked over his shoulder and watched the huge man as he pointed the sword at him,

"I am Himura Battosai! Master of the Kamiya Kasshin-Ryu!!" Tomo felt her blood boil; this man was no more than a lucky imposter. She picked up her sword and jumped from the roof top and landed in the shadow of a near by house. She removed the bow from her hair and yelled out as she undid her okobi,

"Imposter! You are NOT THE HIMURA BATTOSAI!!" She sprinted from behind the house and jumped up behind the man, who was looking around trying to find the one who spoke out of turn. Tomo hovered over his shoulders for just a second. It was long enough; she wrapped her ribbon around his eyes and jerked his head backwards, and yelled out, "You are just a lucky, lucky man!" She twisted the ribbon into a knot and flipped herself over his shoulders, the man grabbed at the knot trying to free his face. Tomo used her okobi like a gymnastic ribbon and wrapped it around the imposter's wrist that was holding his sword. The man's yell was muffled by her ribbon. Tomo took her left foot and kicked the man making him release his sword. Tomo grabbed the hilt and unsheathed her own sword. By this time the man had removed the ribbon from his face and was furious.

Tomo stood there, basked in the moonlight. She had two swords in her hands, the tips of the blades crossed making an 'x'. She growled as she lowered the swords to her sides,

"Prepare to face 'The Double Sword Demon'!" She rushed foreword and slashed at the man in a mad furry. Her Uncle jumped up and tried to get close enough to grab her away before she could get hurt but it was no use. She was to fast for him to grab, she dashed around the man barely missing him by a hair. Finally the man took his fist and knocked Tomo in the side of the head knocking her into a wall. Her Uncle stood there frozen, he yelled out as he rushed to her side,

"TOMO!" Her body fell to the ground with a thud and she laid there motionless. The imposter picked up his sword and placed a foot on Tomo's head.

"You are uncontrolled. You are no swordsman. You are no 'Double sword Demon'." He put more weight on his foot, crushing Tomo's head. Her Uncle became furious,

"TOMO!" He rushed over to her. The huge man ran away disappearing into the shadows, Kaoru started to run after him when she noticed Tomo's Uncle. Tomo was unconscious as her Uncle lifted her off the ground. Kaoru walked slowly over to him,

"Will she be okay?" The young man looked worried; his face had drained of most of its color and his breathing became deep,

"Tomo….Tomo please…" The man put a hand over her mouth and felt small, short breaths escaping her mouth. He pulled her close and whispered, "Thank goodness she's alive. She will be okay." Kaoru let a breath go; she didn't realize she had been holding it. She stood up and held her bleeding shoulder,

"My Dojo is this way. Please. I have a doctor there. He can tend to…" She hadn't even gotten their names and they had saved her life,

"Tomo. Her name is Tomo…you will help her?" He looked up at her, his blue eyes close to tears with worry. Kaoru nodded and walked slowly toward her home with the red haired man carrying the young girl.

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Later that night.

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The young man sat beside Tomo well into the night. He never moved to make himself comfortable, Kaoru walked in the small room now dressed in a kimono,

"She will wake up tomorrow. You need to rest." She placed a hand on his shoulder and his head snapped her direction,

"This one is okay. It is this one's niece." He placed a hand on her head and felt for a fever. She was normal, he sat back and sighed. Kaoru sighed as she sat down beside him, 

"It is almost dawn. Are you sure you don't need to rest? After traveling for so long?" The man only stood,

"If it is alright…may she stay here until this one returns? Tomo has not slept for two days, constantly on watch that she is." Kaoru nodded as the man opened the door and bowed, "Thank you. You are very kind."

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Tomo's dream was an odd one. She was standing on a dark beach with a cool breeze flowing toward the shore. The water was black and it felt like ice as it splashed on her bare feet, she looked up and noticed a dim light shining behind a thick cloud; this place gave her an eerie feeling. She noticed something moving to her left, it was her uncle,

"Uncle! Wait!" She tried moving her body but she felt like something held her back. She looked down at her feet and screamed; three bodies had a hold of her feet, a young woman draped with seaweed moaned,

"Tomo…don't leave us." Her voice was shrill and made Tomo's skin crawl, she tried jerking her feet but the bodies held fast, the woman shrieked as she jerked her head up, "Don't leave your poor mother, Tomo!" Then her voice softened as she reached up and grabbed Tomo's waist almost hug like, "Mommy needs you baby…" Tomo shook her head as she reached for her sword still looking at the woman; a hand grabbed hers as another voice moaned,

"Oniee-chan. Don't leave me…I need you…we need you…" She stood there frozen as the third body spoke,

"Why would you go with him? Why? He let us die…You let us die…why Tomo?" Tomo started to cry as she looked upon her father, he was tall black headed with dark eyes. A sword sheath at his side but with no sword, just as she remembered seeing him for the last time that night, he steeped foreword and another figure came into view. Tomo gasped as she saw her mother with open arms, she too was tall but with long brown hair framing her face as it always did.

"It's been so long since I seen you, come to mommy I'll hold you." Tomo shook her head as her tears filled her eyes,

"No." She whispered, "No your dead. Both of you…you died." The man and woman disappeared in the wind but one figure remained; a young boy about twelve, "Kyo…nii-san…you too?" The boy lifted his head; there was a gash on his chest and his eyes were hollowed out as well, he held out his hand,

"C'mon Tomo…lets play…I'll go get the ball." Tomo reached out for his hand but hesitated, something wasn't right about this at all. She looked up from the boys hand and gasped his face was almost chewed away; his skull and half his jaw showed through his skin, half his face was a frown, half was a twisted grin. She stepped back and yelled,

"No! Get out of my head! Stay away!" She turned to run and fell, she didn't dare to look behind her, she could feel the boney cold fingers wrapped around her ankle. She looked up ahead and saw her Uncle now running from her with his head bowed, his red hair flowing behind him as he ran away from the black beach.

"Uncle!"

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Okay so Tomo is really freaking out. Tell me what you think of her, Emmy I know what you think already and no she isn't a hyperactive yoai lover. She's not you, I was going to name her Yuki but, I already have a girl name Yuki so oh well. Tomo was the next short thing I could of. Anyway sorry it took me so long chap 3 up soon.


	3. The Short Battle, The two sided man

The Strange Wanderers

Chapter 3

Actually my muse ran away from me but now I have three new muses! Yay me! bows I'm really sorry, it's been a year and I should have posted sooner. I will do better in the future. Damn Writers Block!

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Karou had fallen into a very light sleep, she could see the sheets rising and falling, but she was not conscious enough to know why, she sat there halfway asleep, half awake until Tomo woke up and yelling out, waking Karou up completely.

"Uncle! Please!" Karou grabbed her shoulders,

"Calm down! He's gone for a walk! Tomo!" She snapped as she stared the child in the eyes, she noticed how that her Uncle and she were related; they had each others eyes and kind gentle mouth. Tomo's blue eyes grew wide in horror, she wrestled with the sheets and Karou's arms to get out of the bed on the floor, Karou watched in confusion as Tomo looked around the room franticly, and then she realized she was looking for her missing sword. Tomo ran to the door and flung it open looking around, her sword was no where to be seen, she yelled out in anger when she finally realized that her Uncle had taken her sword so she could not use it if she found him. The cold breeze of the autumn wind made her think more clearly,

_If Uncle has taken my sword, and left…he is not out on a walk. He's gone to get revenge for me. _

Tomo dashed for the fence as Karou had reached the door, the young sword-tress jumped at the tree that leaned over the fence and kicked off from it, landing cat like on the top of the boards. Karou watched open mouthed as Tomo jumped over the side and ran down the ally to the street.

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The young man stood in the ally with his head bowed, his eyes closed. He knew if he stayed here long enough that his niece would find him, but he had hidden her sword under a bamboo matt in front of a pile of boards in the street. Not only would Tomo find him, but the murderer would as well. He took a deep breath as the cool air filled his lungs he could hear the unsheathing of a sword to his left, he shot a glare in that direction and said in a commanding voice,

"You have inflicted very much pain on this one's niece. You shall not get away without punishment." The man from before reviled himself,

"So you've finally showed yourself, at last… Himura Battosai!!" The man boomed as he stepped out into the street across from Tomo's Uncle, he merely stared at the man and stood firm. The imposter smiled behind his mask, "You don't know how pleased I am to get to kill you!" The man's voice boomed, the young man merely chuckled,

"How do you know this one is who you speak of? The Himura Battosai?" The man pointed his sword to his cheek,

"The 'X' shaped scar, it was your trademark. Also, your eyes…and your hair. NO swords man in recorded time has had hair that was such a fiery red, and your eyes are far to kind to be a killers until you are angered. I saw you on the rooftop with the little witch that attacked me." Tomo's uncle narrowed his eyes, his anger starting to boil, he knew it would not be much longer until his other side was reviled, he tried hard to continue it iron fisted control over his body, but instinct and his love for Tomo was becoming a raging fire in his chest, seeing her hurt was the last thing he wanted to see, he had not been fast enough to catch her but he could at least get justice for her and the others who had lost their lives to that monster's sword.

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Tomo had run a quite a distance before she had realized she was wearing only her inner kimono, but she didn't care, she continued to dash down the street. Her long black hair wiped behind her as she ran, looking into the ally's to see if her suspicions were right. She eventually came upon a square, where she saw her uncle and the imposter battosai were about to fight. She noted her Uncle's firm stance and the fact that he had his head were tilted down instead of straight ahead. He was trying to regain control of himself. She stood half concealed by the corner of the building as she scanned the area for her sword, should she need to step in if her Uncle needed a breather or to get his hair out of his eyes. (It's harder to do this than what you think!)

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Karou had left her dojo in hot pursuit of Tomo, she hadn't tried to hide her path, it was pretty much as straight run from the Dojo to the square, she spotted Tomo slightly hiding behind a building, she touched her shoulder and hissed so not to wake the people in the house,

"Tomo! What are you doing? Come back to the dojo! You could be hurt I'm sure your Uncle is fi-!" Tomo quickly placed a hand over her mouth to silence her,

"Shhh!" She shushed as she leaned in closer to the wall; Karou looked to where Tomo was staring when she noticed the man,

"Ruro-!" Tomo slapped her hand over her mouth again and pulled her out of sight,

"If you do not wish to die you will remain silent! Let my uncle do as he must." Tomo's face was pale, like porcelain as she watched from the side of building as her guardian unsheathed his sword. Sweat started to form on her forehead as her throat began to tighten, last time this happened he had gotten out of control and killed 4. If Karou didn't keep quite there would be two more bodies for the graveyard, there was no danger of her getting hurt, he had always stopped killing when she came into his view. She had no clue why though. She could only sit and watch with fear and anticipation as the fight unfolded. Mostly it was curses, the red haired Rurouni dodging wild attacks and jumping to avoid planks of wood that his opponent had thrown at him, but never once did his glare change. Tomo couldn't feel herself shaking as he neared closer and closer to his attacker.

_It will be over soon...Uncle doesn't like to draw things out with armatures. _

And as soon as her inner voice had spoken the words there was an explosion of blood and a loud choking sound, with a sigh of relief Tomo let go of Karou, it was over.

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Little blood had gotten on him, but he felt so tainted, as if he had bathed in the man's blood. He stared down at the man motionless body; a small wound was all he had acquired, just enough to knock him out so the police could have him. He had no sooner looked up from the body when he was knocked backwards a step by a small figure,

"Uncle _Kenshin_!" Tomo's voice cried out as she hugged his middle tightly, he felt the fire that drove him to kill smother out and die instantly the minute he realized it was her, he managed a small smile as he pulled her face out of his chest,

"Are you rested already Tomo-kun?" she nodded and allowed him just enough movement to sheath his sword, she hugged him tighter as Karou rounded the corner of the house. Tomo had kept her from seeing the fight but she knew who it was that had knocked out the imposter Battosai; she looked up at the man and asked in a shaky voice,

"You did this? That's impossible! No one could….match him…" He let out a small laugh; his eyes were not like before, hard and like ice. There were childish and bright, much like his niece's as she smiled up at him.

"He used his size to scare everyone, once you get past that fact he's a giant you could find a million ways to knock him out…" Tomo chimed in her childish voice,

"Uncle Kenshin is the best swords man in the world! He can't be defeated! By anyone! Can you Uncle?" The red haired man laughed as he placed a gentle hand on her back,

"Tomo-kun you shouldn't have so much faith in this one, this one is not that talented." Tomo laughed as she uneasily let one arm go,

"Your clumsy, I know that much. But you're a great cook; you can clean clothes really good…" Tomo looked to the moon as if it had the answers about her Uncle,

"You're good with children…" Karou said gently as she smiled, she turned around and started to walk back to the dojo, "Please, after all you have done for me. Catching this murderer and saving me…you should come back to the dojo and stay the night until I can find a way to repay you two." Tomo looked up at Kenshin with hopeful eyes, they had been traveling on the roads without rest or a bed to sleep in for three weeks now. And though she hated to admit it, they both needed a real bath, not a dip in a stream or waterfall. Kenshin thought it over for a moment and then smiled down at Tomo,

"This one thinks we should Tomo-kun? What do you think?" Tomo punched the air with her fists,

"Yes!" Karou gave a small girlish laugh as they walked side by side, Tomo in the middle and both adults on either side of her back to the dojo, where they would spend much of their lives at.


	4. Baths and Vows

The Himura Family

Chapter 4

Bath's and Vows

Ok, I'm suddenly on a role, and to Ken-nii B I'm trying to do that but its hard to remember the episodes because its been a few years since it was on, I'll have to go to YouTube and look them up, anyways here's Chapter 4!

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When Karou walked into the dojo an old man in white clothes ushered her in quickly and sat her down,

"Karou-san! What on earth did you think you were doing!? Go out side un-protected while that murderer is loose!" Karou sighed and told the old man what happened, he sighed as he saw Tomo and Kenshin standing out side the dojo's front gate staring up at the sign,

"You run this small dojo all by yourself?" He asked as Tomo read aloud the sign,

"Kamiya-Kasshin-Ryu Kenjutsu Dojo…"Kenshin blinked back up at the sign as Karou nodded and motioned them both inside, the sun was beginning to rise. When the pair of Himura's stepped into the dojo a sense of calmness washed over them, the polished wood floors shone with the rising light, there were a few candles lit on tall holders with paper to protect the flames. A few planks hanging on the wall, "Kamiya-Kasshin-Ryu." She stepped to her right and continued to read over it, speaking slowly so that she sounded out each word, "Kamiya Karou---instructor." Kenshin noticed her effort and walked over to stand beside her. She looked up at him as he silently read the planks,

"Good job Tomo-kun, you read it well." He patted her head in praise as she smiled up at him; Karou shot a scornful look at him,

"Why do you talk to your niece as if she were mentally-challenged?" Kenshin looked over his shoulder and gave her a soft and kind reply,

"This one would never speak of Tomo-kun as mentally-challenged. Tomo-kun can not read." Tomo nodded and looked over her shoulder, Karou noticed that, if Tomo's hair was red instead of raven black, she would pass as Kenshin's daughter, instead of his niece,

"It is true, this one can not read. This one can speak, but can't read." Kenshin looked down at her like a non-bright but loved dearly child,

"Tomo-kun, you should stop going into this one's habits, being to much alike can cause you to loose sight of who you are." Tomo looked up and bowed respect to him,

"Yes Uncle Kenshin, I will take your wise words to soul." Kenshin laughed and patted her back,

"Heart Tomo-kun, heart. The saying is 'to the heart'." Tomo pondered for a moment and then shrugged, Karou couldn't grasp it, there was something that tied them together maybe it was their family connection, or their similar childish attitudes about them, or maybe it was their almost uncanny resemblance?

Karou looked to a room across her,

"I would offer you breakfast but I am a terrible cook…" Kenshin walked over to her and bowed to the waist,

"I can cook for you, to thank you for offering for us to stay the night. And for not arresting this one and Tomo-kun." Karou blinked in confusion, but she found herself nodding, then she clamped a hand over her nose,

"But please, take a bath before you do." Kenshin blinked and then laughed,

"That would be nice, thank you Karou-domo." Karou showed Kenshin the bath room and prepared a bath for him, "Meanwhile I will see if I have any small Kimono's for Tomo, she shouldn't be running around in hakana pants and a man's shirt." Kenshin cocked and eyebrow and nodded in agreement,

"Yes, I have to admit, this one's old shirt does not fit her all to well." Karou nodded and left him to his bath. Kenshin undressed and stepped into the warm water, feeling his muscles loosen he leaned against the edge and slide down until he was on his butt. His face was stone wondering about the imposter, the wound wasn't deep enough to kill him, only stun him. How long would a man of that size stay out? Had he already awoken? Had the police gotten him?

He inhaled and caught a stench that made his hair stand on end, and then he realized it was coming from him, he reached for the soap and began to scrub himself, but the thought made him stop, had the police got him? Another though appeared in his head: How long had Tomo and Karou been watching? Had they seen the face of the killer? Tomo had seen it already twice, once when she was three and then when he adopted her as his own. He threw the thought out of his head again and dunked his head into the water, soaking his hair. He could hear voices outside,

"Thank you Karou-domo, the Kimono is lovely, I will wear it carefully. Sorry for your troubles." Tomo said as her voice drew close near the wall,

"It is no trouble Tomo-chan. You make a very strong looking man, but you make a better lady." He could hear the women laughing; he scrubbed his hair feeling much better.

"So tell me Tomo." Karou's voice said gently and curiously, "How long have you been wandering with your Uncle Kenshin?" There was a small silence, Kenshin smiled when he realized Tomo must be counting on her fingers,

"Since I was……..five? Four? I can't remember. I'm eleven now." Tomo laughed.

Kenshin nodded; she was right, she was five when Kenshin adopted her. It was six years ago, they had been traveling for five.

Six years ago the full moon's night was tainted by five deaths, it was as if the moon it's self seemed to be drowned in blood. Kenshin's face hardened again as he remembered the crying five year old, her beautiful kimono drenched in blood as she sat in front of her slaughtered family and cried tears of sorrow. Though she was too young to understand, she knew that all the blood meant that they would not be waking up from their nap.

Kenshin could hear violent coughing; his wet head jerked up as he stood on the side of the wooden tub looking though the window, Tomo was coughing terribly. She beat on her chest with one fist and her other hand covered her mouth, but she still coughed. Karou gently pounded on her back as Tomo coughed; finally she stopped and waved her hand,

"I am…" She cleared her throat and smiled weakly, "fine. I am alright, really." Kenshin slid back into the tub and dunked his head once more, to clean out the soap. He finished his bath quickly and put on his clothes, when he walked out side and realized how cold the air was. He walked around the side of the dojo and fresh clothes were held up at him by a small girl with brown hair in two pig tail son each side of her head, Kenshin blinked and his childish nature appeared as he smiled,

"Hello, there."

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Tomo was being ushered into the bathroom when Karou spotted Kenshin, clothes tucked under his arm, tossing a ball lightly back and forth with the little girl. She called out to him, happy to see he didn't look grungy and his hair had a bit of shine to it.

"Kenshin!" Kenshin tossed the ball back and smiled,

"Thank you very much Karou-domo. The bath was very relaxing, and this one is sure that, this one doesn't stink of the woods and the road." Karou laughed and pointed to the clothes,

"You can wear those until your clothes are clean, a clean traveler will still stink if his clothes reek of travel." Kenshin laughed along with her, not because her words were meant to sound wise, but because they were true, though he was clean the stink of sweat and travel was still on his clothes. Kenshin patted the little girls head and walked into the dojo unfolding the clothes as he went.

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Tomo had to be accompanied into the bath since it was set so high, and she was not quite tall enough to get inside. She splashed into the water and shivered, Karou peeked outside the window, Kenshin was hanging clothes on the clothes line; some where his, some were not. He had tied a white bandana in his hair and rolled up his sleeves to keep them out of the way,

"Kenshin! Can you start a fire for Tomo? Her bath is cold." Kenshin placed a sheet on the line and smiled as he picked up the matches from a little seat by an opening at the bottom of the wall, inside was a few small pieces of charred wood. He lit the match and tossed it in, the fire built as he fanned it gently with a paper fan. Two little girls, the one from before and now a taller one, with chestnut brown hair and alert brown eyes, she bent over and watched as Kenshin kept the fire going. The littlest one brought over two pieces of fire wood and handed them to Kenshin, he placed them into the fire and called inside,

"Is it warm now?" Karou looked to Tomo, who looked like she could fall asleep any moment and nodded,

"Thank you Kenshin." Kenshin chuckled and gestured to the little girls,

"I had the help of your little sisters." Karou blinked and noticed the girls,

"Their not my sisters, they're Kihei's granddaughters." Kenshin's eyes grew wide as he looked at both the girls and then Karou,

"Oro!? This one is sorry, Karou-domo. It is easy to think since they were so kind they must be your sisters." Karou felt her cheeks go hot as he smiled up at her and then stood, "Well, best return to the laundry." Karou opened her mouth to stop him but Tomo laughed as she scrubbed her head with soap,

"It is no use; my uncle hates to be un-useful. He wants to repay you for giving him a bath now. Then he will cook to repay you for giving us a room to stay in. I guess I could repay you for this bath and the room by cleaning your dojo. Is that ok?" Karou looked at her as she dunked her head into the bath.

_Why is it they need to repay me so badly? I do not mind reaching out to someone if they are in need of help, also…_She watched as Tomo scrubbed her fingers into her hair as she was under water _They have helped me so in turn I am repaying them. _Tomo loved the feeling of the warm water on her face, it made her sleepy. When she resurfaced Karou handed her a towel for her head. Tomo gave her a slight bow and wrapped her long raven hair into the towel, perching it on her head so it wouldn't fall into the water again. She picked up the soap and began to scrub her body,

_Feeling clean is a great pleasure. _Tomo thought as she washed the soap bubbles off her shoulders, _now I don't want to get dirty for a long time._ She snickered, she knew she could never keep clean; she would need another bath by the end of the day so was her rough nature. But she would try her hardest to keep Karou's kimono clean,

"I wonder in the battosai has been buried?" Karou thought out loud as she hung Tomo's kimono on a rack,

"Why would they bury a wanted man alive?" Tomo asked as she reached for a warm towel,

"Alive? Surely you saw his body Tomo." Karou said as she turned to face her, Tomo nodded as she stood, wrapping the towel around her and holding it in place with one hand,

"I did, but my uncle…not matter how angry will never kill anyone. Ever." Karou felt her heart break, to be so young and hold someone that had killed a murderer in such high regard.

"Tomo you must learn that the heart is a very demanding thing, if it wants blood, someway it fill see it." Tomo swung one of her legs and gently touched down to the ground,

"No, my Uncle would never kill…not any more. He made a vow." Tomo said plainly, as if it were and every day thing,

_Then again…_Karou thought _These two are not normal…they are Rurouni's after all._

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Ok so a little more is reviled, I will try my best to stick with the story line the best I can, anyways that's all for now!


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